Where's Harry?
by mysticalflute
Summary: Hermione meets Petunia Dursley in the summer between first and second year.


Hermione Granger had been feeling anxious since she stepped off the train at King's Cross after her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she hadn't been able to figure out why until she saw the name of the woman listed in her mother's list of patients.

 _Dursley._

Petunia Dursley to be precise. Harry's aunt. The same Harry that neither she nor her other friend Ron Weasley had heard from all summer, despite both of them having written letters to him.

Hermione could work with this. All she had to do was put the bug in her mother's ear, as it were. Mention the familiar name, get her mother to bring it up to Mrs. Dursley during the appointment. Then, Hermione would have the opportunity to see Harry and make sure he was okay.

And she would.

"Mum?" she asked when she sat down to dinner with her parents that night. "Can I go to work with you tomorrow?"

Her mother seemed startled. "What? You haven't wanted to come to work with me in years, Hermione."

Hermione bit her lip. "Well you see… I was looking at your list of clients for tomorrow and – " she paused when she noticed a look from her father. "I know I'm not supposed to look at them but I was curious. I noticed my friend Harry's aunt listed in your appointment book. I was hoping to talk to her about why I haven't received any letters or calls from him."

This time, it was her parents turn to frown and seem concerned. "Of course Hermione, I completely understand. You are more than welcome to come with me to work in that case."

She grinned in relief. "Oh Mum thank you." She was so worried about Harry. She hoped everything would be okay with him and that he was just too busy to contact she and Ron. Or maybe he didn't want to contact she and Ron ever again. Which was a sad thought to the girl.

No, she mustn't think like that. There was something wrong. Harry wouldn't have done something like that to she and Ron, not after everything they'd been through with the Stone.

Hermione pushed the worrisome thoughts to the back of her mind as she enjoyed dinner with her parents. She would figure out what was going on with Harry tomorrow, when she met Mrs. Dursley for the first time.

The next morning, Hermione was up bright and early, taming her wild curls as much as she could. Though she was the owner's daughter, she still wanted to look presentable, especially since she had no idea what this woman was like. Judging on what she'd heard from Ron, Mrs. Dursley probably wasn't the easiest woman to deal with, so Hermione wanted to look as mature as she could for the woman.

She even made herself breakfast. Granted, she was only twelve so cereal was her breakfast, but still.

"Up already, Hermione?" her mother asked with a yawn, before smiling a little. "I expected nothing less from you. Do you want anything else for breakfast?"

Hermione shook her head. "No thanks Mum. I'm okay with just this."

Her mother chuckled, heading into the kitchen. "Alright."

"Mum?" Hermione asked, following her mother. "What is Mrs. Dursley like?"

Her mother paused, the hand that was beating eggs together pausing before she looked over at her daughter. "She's… intense," her mother replied. "I won't lie to you, Hermione. She is not the easiest woman to talk to. Which is why that my line of work doesn't involve much small talk with a patient if I can avoid it.

The girl frowned a little. That didn't sound good. Then again, she'd been able to withstand someone like Professor Snape all year – as she would for the next five years of her Hogwarts career.

"Well, she doesn't know me," she replied confidently as her mother continued to cook, hearing the woman's light laughter once again.

"No, she certainly doesn't. But I'm sure by the end of the day, Mrs. Dursley will know you quite well."

Hermione would make absolutely sure of that.

Later on that morning, she and her mother made her way to the dentist's office. Hermione took a seat behind the nurse who was checking patients in, with a book in her hand, as always.

"You've gotten so big Hermione!" Nurse Claire said with a smile. "How was your first year at boarding school?"

The girl couldn't help but pause. It had been hard to figure out what to say to people about her school of magic. Muggles couldn't know about it after all – aside from her parents. Trying to figure out what to tell people was difficult for the normally bright witch.

"It was good," she replied simply. "The classes are more difficult than I was getting at my other school, and I even made some new friends."

Claire smiled wide. "That's fantastic Hermione. I'm very glad to hear that. We were very worried about you while you were gone."

Hermione smiled back. "Well I missed you all very much."

In actuality, there had been so much going on she didn't have time to miss the people from her parents' dentist office, but still, it was nice that she was missed by the staff.

A woman walked up to the window. Tall, skinny, with a long nose and a face that was screaming 'I'm judging you'.

"Ah! Mrs. Dursley!" Claire said with a smile as she slid a clipboard over the counter. "Right on time as always. Dr. Granger will be with you in a moment."

"Thank you Claire. Ah – this must be your niece," the woman replied in a voice that had a hint of a sneer to it.

Claire looked over at Hermione. "Oh – no, Mrs. Dursley, this is Hermione Granger. Dr. Granger's daughter. She just returned from school in Scotland."

The woman's eyes seemed to harden at that. "Oh? What sort of school?"

Hermione swallowed. "It… was an academic school. For advanced learners." It was the only thing she and her parents had been able to figure out what to say when it came to this situation.

That didn't seem to please the woman much, but she still took the clipboard and went to go sit down.

Hermione waited for a few moments, before standing and leaving the nurse's station, going over to the bird-like woman.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Dursley?"

The woman seemed surprised to be spoken to, her head snapping up and staring at the girl with wide eyes.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"I – I don't actually go to an academic school. I go to Hogwarts. With Harry."

The woman's face hardened instantly, and Hermione felt concern for Harry growing.

"Oh. So you're one of _them_."

There was a venom in her words that hurt the twelve year-old.

"Yes, I'm a witch," Hermione said quietly. "And I'm friends with Harry. Is everything alright with him? I've been sending him letters and I haven't heard anything back from him."

Petunia frowned. "He hasn't gotten any letters from anyone."

Hermione wondered if the reason Harry hadn't gotten letters from her or Ron was because of their own intervention, but she didn't dare say anything.

"Oh – I see. How peculiar. My friend Ron and I have been sending him letters all summer so…"

"Mrs. Dursley, Dr. Granger is ready for you," Claire suddenly said.

"I'm sorry dear. But Harry has not gotten any letters from anyone at that school," Mrs. Dursley said, standing and quickly scuttling away from her, heading into the office.

Hermione frowned and went back to the nurse's station.

"Claire? Can I borrow a piece of paper and a pen?" she asked.

"Of course Hermione."

Hermione smiled, grateful, and grabbed it before sitting down at the desk.

 _Dear Ron,_

 _I met Harry's Aunt Petunia today. She's not a very nice woman. She seemed disgusted that I was a witch and that I knew Harry. She also said that Harry hasn't been getting any of our letters. I think you'll agree with me that something is wrong with that. I think she may have something to do with it. I'm not sure what either of us can do about it, but I thought I would let you know what's happening with Harry._

 _Your friend,_

 _Hermione_


End file.
